I'm actually only technically vegetarian and have been for 4.5 years, but I never have liked milk and eggs so I eat mostly vegan and only eat things that have dairy and eggs in it if I can't help it (sometimes I can't help it because I live at home). I became vegetarian because I'm a huge animal lover and never really liked meat anyways but I was pleasantly surprised after I became vegetarian and found out that there are other benefits too - it's much cheaper to eat vegan (or vegetarian)! Has anyone became vegan for that reason and have you found a decrease in your food bill? Do you find vegan alternatives to be more or less expensive than the real things, if you buy them (for instance, non-dairy milk)?
I've tried to several times, I have two friends that are vegetarian and I wanted to see if I could do it too. The thing is I love meat and dairy, so it makes it even harder for me. I can never seem to feel "full" off of most vegetarian recipes. Other than like pizza and pasta, which I can't eat that every day. Many of the other things I eat often contain meat stock as well, and I cannot stand the taste or smell of vegetable stock. There's also no way I could give up cheese, that's one of my favorite things to eat in the world and it's so full of flavor.
I have been considering it for a few months. I tried it a couple of months ago, but I wasn't getting enough protein.I don't want to eat a lot of soy because I'm concerned about messing up my hormones. Now, I am more prepared to make the leap. I'm lactose intolerant so I would be a vegan and not a vegetarian since I don't eat dairy. I also don't eat eggs for personal reasons.
I'm not a vegetarian but I can say for sure that if you eat non-vegetarian foods, your bill at a restaurant would be considerably higher. I would love to turn vegetarian but there aren't any vegetarian options that can help me resist the need to eat chicken. I can do without eating pork, fish, beef, lamb, etc but chicken is something I can't give up easily. Yes, buying vegetarian products are cheaper.
Vegetarian items should be cheaper, but strangely I've seen restaurants upcharge for dishes that have no meat. It's kind of ridiculous to charge $14 for an Alfredo when you can get a Strip Steak for $16.
I'm a B-plus vegetarian because I only meat on special occasions, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving. Throughout the year, my lady and I are vegetarians. It was a slow process from eating meat regularly to eating it a couple of times a week to not eating it at all. We have looked at becoming vegans but it's just way too much work and too much money. I concur with OhioTom76. The other day, I was out with my in-laws and I ordered a veggie burger and it was $11! The regular meat burger was $7. Why is that?!
I used to be a vegan last year. Now I am a vegetarian who eats vegan meals sometimes. It was so expensive being vegan and because I didn't have the money to buy all fresh foods, my meals weren't that healthy. I spent 5 dollars on veganase (the vegan version of mayo) for my sandwiches! Everything was just so much more expensive vegan. It also stopped me from going out with my friends because I was always that person who couldn't eat anything. I always had to check with the waiter about certain ingredients. "Excuse me. Where those made with chicken broth?" It becomes quite taxing.
I actually didn't realize that there's a vegan mayo that you can buy at the store. I know there's recipes online on how to make vegan mayo though. I haven't made any myself but the recipes sound tasty and are cheap to make so it might be a good alternative? Wow, that is weird! I don't eat out so I'm not really sure but I guess it's because there's less demand for veggie burgers.
Yes, Whole Foods has it in the dairy section. It was delicious, but I wouldn't justify spending that amount of a small jar of vegan mayo. Thanks for telling me about the recipes. I will Google. I love mayo, but I try to stay away from it. I actually liked the veganase more than the regular mayo. Thanks again.
Oh no! I can not live without my meat and dairy. I love cheese way too much and big fat juicy steaks on the grill. Life without bacon is hardly worth living. Just shoot me now. lol Its all good if you want to be vegan. More, more meat for me( Quote from Boderlands). Hehehehe ( my evil laugh)
The reason a lot of us former meat eaters turn to the vegan lifestyle is because of what we find out. I'm not an animal lover nor do I get disturbed at the thought of animal slaughter for food. What bothered me is the factual health issues that arises from ANY animal protein. The history and truth behind why only in the 1900s did meat became such an high craze could surprise you but worse is the education and important health studies are being shunned because of profit loss. The health issues that arose exponentially due to this meat push can possibly infuriate people, but the worst is the lack of awareness that most cancers and hyper tension (heart disease, etc..) are closely related and even triggered by continued consumption of animal protein and animal dairy.
MellowGuy - what studies, who sponsored the studies, and what were the agendas of the propnents for the studies? Cancers are not triggered by animal protein, because if they were homo sapians would have died out before it began. Humans are made to eat a certain level of fat and protein as shown by our large brains and clever hands. We evolved to fit the niche of omnivorism. As for the period before the 1900s and meat consumption... there is history, but something tells me the truth is rather more subjective. Now hypertension as it relates to cholesterol might be something, but generally hypertension is considered a high blood pressure issue related to sodium content which isn't necessarily anything to do with animal protein.
